Coaster sled



R. A. MACK.

COASTER APPLICATION FILED SLED.

OCT-'27, 1920.

. Patented June 6,1922.

2 SHEETSr-SHEET I 61mm.

R. A. MACK.

COASTER SLED. APPLICATION HLED 00127, 1920.

1,418,818. Patented June 6, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 5-5 of Figure 2.

invention.

"rarer GOASTER SLED.

Specification of letters Patent. f Patentd J 11116 6, 1922 Original application filed June 26, 1919, Serial No. 306,941. Divided. and this application filed October 27, 1920. Serial NO-14219,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH AWMACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gallipolis, in the county of Gallia and; State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Tmprovements in Coaster Sleds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to combination vehicles. and particularly to a novel construction of combinat on sledconvertible into a variety of forms, the present application being a division of my prior application filed June 26, 1919, Serial No. 306,941. The object of the invention'is to provide a strong, durable and efficient type of vehiole, and one which may be readily converted by the user into any one. of a variety of forms of which it issusceptible.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure .1 is a side elevation of acoaster sled constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is atop plan viewthereof, show- .of the sled.

Figures 3 and i are side elevations of other forms of the invention. I

Figure 5 1s a transverse section on line Figure 6 is a detail section showing the front. axle construction.

Figure 7 is a detail'section on ,line. 7-7 of igure 2.

FigureS' is a transverse section through one of the seats of the vehicle andillustrating. the manner in which the same is mounted on the vehicle chassis.

Figure 9 is a view, of another form of the The invention consists essentiallyflin a frame comprising a part ofthe chassis of the vehicle, to which anumber of bodies or seats may be applied, and whiclris sup ported by sled runners. The bars constituting this frame are indicated at.. 10, and comprise angle bars asshown. These angle bars are straight throughout theirlengths and are arranged in spaced parallel relation,

being detachably connected together -and 1 rigidly held as a unit by the devices and elements to be hereafter detailed. I

As disclosed in myaforesaidpriorrapplication Serial No. 306,941,1115 device is also adapted for use as a wheeled vehicle, and in its use either as a sled or aSa wheeledvehicle I provide front and rear axlesll and 12. The rear axle is disposed beneath thefranie bars 10 and transversely of thelattenand is journaled in bearing blocks 13. These blocks fit beneath theframe' bars 10 and are. bolted thereto as at 14. The blocks are connected at their rearends by a tie plate 15, the latter being preferably formed integral with the bearing blocks, but itflwill be understoodthatthe. tie plate may be separate from the blocks and may be bolted or riveted to the latter as desired. The axle 11 is pro vided intermediate its ends with a, gear or sprocket l6, disposedbetween the frame bars 10 for use as part of a drive gearing in the use of the .deviceas a wheeled vehicle; The

bearing blocks 13 and tieplate 15 thus, in addition to firmly supporting the axle l1, securely hold the bars 10 in properspaced relation at their rear ends.

the projections as shown to engage beneath the angle bars 10 and to be bolted. thereto as at2 O. Theplate andits projections thus form. a firm support for thefifth v's heel ofv the steering axleand also rigidly maintain the forward ends of the frame bars-1O in" .proper .spaced relation. fA. king bolt 21 passes through alined openings in the fifth ,wheell? and plate 18 to rotatably support the, steering axle upon the said plate. The front axle is provided with-eyes 22 to enable a draft tongue or shafts to be applied tothe axle, and the axleisalso provided upon its upper surface with foot plates for the use of the occupant in resting his feet'or in steering the vehicle.

In Figure 1 ofth drawings I have shown the vehicle as simulating an automobile runabout sled, and asz shown'the body 24 includes the baseportion 2.5,,jto" the forward end of, which is secured the imitation hood or, engine. cover 26, whilethe seatfor the occupant of the vehicle is indicated at 27.. fi eh ea di th rees b r 10 b means of the metallic spring members 28. These spring members are of substantially inverted Ushape being secured at their bight portions to the base of the body and having the inturned feet 29 at the ends of said members resting upon the horizontally disposed portions of the frame bars. Bolts 30 may be passed through these feetand through the angle iron bars 10 to rigidly and yet detachably secure the body to the chassis. The body while being firmly held uponthe chassis, is spaceda considerable distance above the chassis so as to provide for the proper relative mounting of all parts, and the membersQS 'yieldingly support the body in proper position. v

The main sled runners indicated at 31 are "secured to the lower ends of inverted substantially U-shaped strap irons 32, the latter being bolted at their bight portions to the frame barslO, The rear endsof the sled runners are provided with upstanding bracket plates which. receive the spindles of the rear axle, and the forward ends of the runners are curved upwardly and rearwardly as shown. These runners are formed preferably of angle iron of small dimension.

The front axle has secured thereto the steering runners 34. These runners comprise the relatively short angle members shownybeing connected near their rear ends by the bracket member 35, and being attached attheir forward ends as by bolts to the front axle. Strap members 36 connect the front ends ofthese runners with the bight portion of the bracket 35. It will be observed that the runners of this guiding sled are spaced apart a distance less than the mainsled runners. It is obvious from this construction that a runabout automobile type of wheeled vehicle may be readily converted into a coasting sled. The base may be provided with an opening to allow the legs of the occupant to pass downward *therethrough and his feet to engage the foot plates 23, for the purpose of resting the feet or steering thevehicle, or suit-able steering mechanism may be provided for steering the vehicle as hereinafter described.

a Figure 2shows the automobile body structure removed and single seat37 applied to theframe bars 10. This seat, like the similar seat 37 shown in Figure 3 is an individual structure including a seat base having secured to the underside thereof the bight portions of a pair of the metallic spring" members 28, the foot portions of which are fastened as previously described to the frame bars 10. This provides alight weight coaster sled which may be easily and conveniently drawn and steered and controlled by the user. In the use of a pair ofmetallic spring 'inembers orbrackets for resiliency supporting anindividua' l seat there may be provided strap member 38 for connecting and'reinforcing said brackets. This strap member 38 may be formed integral with the U-shaped brackets 28, or it may be welded thereto or bolted, as desired, and it is obvious that such structure greatly strengthens the seat support-sand enables the latter to withstand thestrains and pressures to which they will be subjected. i

Figure 3 shows another form of the invention wherein the individual seat 37 is mounted in a. forward position upon the frame bars 10 and a wagon body 39 is bolted or otherwise detachably securedupon the frame bars in rear of said seat. In this form, as well as in the other forms of the invention it will be understood that a draft tongue or shafts may be employed and properly equipped to enable dogs, goats or ponies to be hitched thereto for the purpose of drawing the vehicle. In the form of the invention shown in Figure 4 a seat board 40 is securecl to and is of substantially the same length as the frame bars 10. The spindles of the forward axle in this construction are provided with hand grips ll to enable therider to steer the sled while lying in a recumbent position upon the seat board. Should it be desired, this roaster may accommodate a number of persons in sitting position, and it will be understood that the foremost person will steer the same by placing his feet upon the front axle. Figure 9 shows another form of the invention wherein the frame bars andsteeringsled runners are omitted and only the main runners and the wagon body 39 are used. The u-shaped supporting straps 32 i are bolted at their bight portions. to the underslde of the wagon body 39 and the lower ends of their arms are bolted to the vertical flanges or webs of the angle-metal main runners. Thls vehicle may be propelled by the occupant pushing with his feet or drag ropes may be applied to the forward ends of the runners, or it may be used as an ordinary bob sled in coasting.

In someof the forms of the invention, as

shown in Figure 1, the vehicle is to be steered by a suitable steering apparatus.

For the accomplishment of this purpose,

the frontaxle is provided with a rack or segment 3L2 engaged by a pinion or, gear 43 ailixed to the lower or forward end of a steering post 44. The steering post is rotatably supported upon the vehicle frame and provided with a hand wheel or similar device arranged in convenient position for use and by means-of which the post may be turned to steer the vehicle in an obvious manner.

From the foregoing'it will be apparent that I have provided a vehicle structure capable of a variety of changes in form, all of which ehangesmay be readily made. by a child of ordinary intelligencefiandwithout the use of special skill or tools, since the parts are of interchangeable type. The changes from one form of vehicle to the other may be quickly made, and the simplicity of the construction of the various removable parts enables the various structures to be completed without danger of confusion or breakage or distortion of any of such parts.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the character described, angle metal frame bars, angle metal runners, rear brackets upon the frame bars, a rear axle supported thereby, a front steering axle carried by the frame bars, brackets at the rear ends of the runners extending upwardly therefrom and engaging the ends ofthe rear axle, .U-shaped straps suspended from the frame bars and secured at spaced intervals to the runners in advance of said brackets, and steering runners carried by the front axle. i

'2. In a device of thecharacter described, a pair of runners arranged in spaced parallel position, attaching brackets carried by said runners near one end of the latter in ings near their upper ends'to receive said spindles.

4. In a device of the character described, a pair of runners .made of angle metal and presenting an upwardly extending flange, brackets secured to and projecting upwardly from said flanges near one end of the runners, the said brackets being alined with each other laterally of the runners, and U-shaped brackets arranged in inverted position spanning said runners and secured at their ends to the flanges of said runners.

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature.

RUDOLPH A; MACK. 

